From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, riders will enjoy the swells in front of the Grand Seas Resort, 2124 N. Atlantic Ave., during the annual Thrust Innovations Daytona Beach Freeride.

"We are expecting 300 riders and about a thousand people on the beach," said coordinator Nick Foederer. "It's going to be crazy."

Started nine years ago as a get-together of 30 to 50 friends gathering on Daytona Beach to ride the surf, Freeride has grown to a sponsored charity event that draws riders from as far away as Australia and South Africa, he said. Proceeds from this year's event will be donated for mental health efforts, he said.

Magnus Andersseon, 42, came all the way from Sweden for the event. "This is a chance to get some sun and meet some nice people. In Sweden, I would be riding a snowmobile," he said.

While riders jump, flip and barrel roll off the waves, the emphasis is on surfing the swells with cutbacks, drop-ins and similar surfing maneuvers.

"It is Bike Week for Jet Skiers," Foederer said. "The average guy can go out and ride with the pros."

There will be a "surf and style" competition starting at noon Saturday, but Foederer said that is not the focus of the event.

"This is not about the competition," he said, adding the focus is to ride without the stress of competition.

Despite the expected crowd, Volusia County Beach Patrol officials said Wednesday they expect the event to run smoothly.

"These guys run their show like clockwork," said Capt. Mike Berard.

Berard said some participants have been in town since Monday taking advantage of the existing personal-watercraft zone adjacent to the Cardinal Avenue beach ramp.

"There have been 10 to 15 skis," cutting back and forth among the waves, he said, adding he expects that number to grow to 100 or more over the weekend.

New Jersey resident J.D. Hunt, 50, said a whole contingent of wave riders traveled south from his home state for the event.

"I have been coming here for six years," he said. "There are great people and this is a great place to ride."

The week's warm weather doesn't hurt, either. "This is a chance to get out of the cold, come down and enjoy some good riding," Hunt said.

Berard said historically the event has drawn more riders than spectators, so he doesn't expect disruptions to beach driving, except the normal traffic and tide restrictions.

For non-riders, Leah Vinca, administrative assistant at the Grand Seas Resort, said visitors will find live music on the pool deck, along with vendors' booths.

"This is the biggest Jet Ski freeride event of its kind in the world," said Foederer.

<p>DAYTONA BEACH &mdash; Hundreds of riders will take to the waves on personal watercraft starting Thursday for an event that attracts pros from around the globe and hundreds of spectators to the beach. </p><p>From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday through Sunday, riders will enjoy the swells in front of the Grand Seas Resort, 2124 N. Atlantic Ave., during the annual Thrust Innovations Daytona Beach Freeride. </p><p>"We are expecting 300 riders and about a thousand people on the beach," said coordinator Nick Foederer. "It's going to be crazy." </p><p>Started nine years ago as a get-together of 30 to 50 friends gathering on Daytona Beach to ride the surf, Freeride has grown to a sponsored charity event that draws riders from as far away as Australia and South Africa, he said. Proceeds from this year's event will be donated for mental health efforts, he said. </p><p>Magnus Andersseon, 42, came all the way from Sweden for the event. "This is a chance to get some sun and meet some nice people. In Sweden, I would be riding a snowmobile," he said. </p><p>While riders jump, flip and barrel roll off the waves, the emphasis is on surfing the swells with cutbacks, drop-ins and similar surfing maneuvers. </p><p>"It is Bike Week for Jet Skiers," Foederer said. "The average guy can go out and ride with the pros." </p><p>There will be a "surf and style" competition starting at noon Saturday, but Foederer said that is not the focus of the event. </p><p>"This is not about the competition," he said, adding the focus is to ride without the stress of competition. </p><p>Despite the expected crowd, Volusia County Beach Patrol officials said Wednesday they expect the event to run smoothly. </p><p>"These guys run their show like clockwork," said Capt. Mike Berard. </p><p>Berard said some participants have been in town since Monday taking advantage of the existing personal-watercraft zone adjacent to the Cardinal Avenue beach ramp. </p><p>"There have been 10 to 15 skis," cutting back and forth among the waves, he said, adding he expects that number to grow to 100 or more over the weekend. </p><p>New Jersey resident J.D. Hunt, 50, said a whole contingent of wave riders traveled south from his home state for the event. </p><p>"I have been coming here for six years," he said. "There are great people and this is a great place to ride." </p><p>The week's warm weather doesn't hurt, either. "This is a chance to get out of the cold, come down and enjoy some good riding," Hunt said. </p><p>Berard said historically the event has drawn more riders than spectators, so he doesn't expect disruptions to beach driving, except the normal traffic and tide restrictions. </p><p>For non-riders, Leah Vinca, administrative assistant at the Grand Seas Resort, said visitors will find live music on the pool deck, along with vendors' booths.</p><p>"This is the biggest Jet Ski freeride event of its kind in the world," said Foederer.</p><p>For Pennsylvania resident Nick Kibuk, 48, the attraction is simple. </p><p>"This is a good time to come down and ride with friends," he said.</p>